One Day, Things Will Be Better
by in-dreams-maybe
Summary: Written for SnarkyAndProudHufflepuff's Ginny Weasley Appreciation Challenge. Ginny/Harry. "Dad, I want to learn how to do a…a Wongsi Paint." He promised he'd come back to them, but that's the one promise that he failed to keep. Can Ginny, together with her sons, find Harry again? Rated T just to be careful.
1. Chapter 1

One Day, Things Will Get Better

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights belong to J.K Rowling and Warner Brothers**©

**Chapter 1**

* * *

"Mum, where's daddy?" questioned a four year old James.

Ginny Potter had been sitting in the dim, spacious dining room, accompanied by a steaming mug of hot chocolate and marshmallows. Ginny shifted a little in her seat to get a better look at James. He was clad in red and gold pyjamas, a colour scheme he had insisted upon, and was rubbing his eyes tiredly, giving a great yawn as he did so.

One swift glance at the clock told Ginny that it was already half past one in the morning. She had obviously lost track of the time.

"Where's Albus, Jamie?" asked Ginny softly.

"He fell asleep already, that pig," came James' reply. "But I can stay up late mum; I'm a big boy now! Bigger than Albus," he added as an afterthought. "Why are you up so late mum? Do you want me to accompany you?"

Ginny's heart melted at the sight of the compassion that sparkled so clearly in James' warm brown orbs. "It's okay hun, why don't you go to bed like Albus?"

Specks of uncertainty flicked through his expression, before he muttered, so quietly as though he was speaking to himself, "Well okay, if you're sure…"

Ginny smiled. "I'm certain, Jamie. How about this? I'll go upstairs with you and tuck you in."

After Albus consented, Ginny levitated the mug and placed it on the kitchen counter, knowing that Elle, their house elf, would clean it up before breakfast time. With that, mother and son climbed up the staircase and headed for the second bedroom on the right. She tenderly pulled the covers over her son and whispered, "Sweet dreams darling, I love you." With a loving kiss to his forehead, she made to switch off the lights and leave, until she heard a soft voice speaking, seemingly, from under the covers.

'I love you too, mum."

* * *

After tucking James into bed, Ginny headed to Albus' room, which was conveniently opposite the room she had just exited. She smoothed out the slightly crumpled sheets and pulled the covers slightly higher so that they covered his chest. She gently swept his untidy mop of jet locks away from his forehead and kissed him, just as she had done with James only just moments before.

Albus' only response was to shift ever so slightly to lie on his side. Ginny smiled and left the dark room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

With a heavy sigh, Ginny made her way to her room, which was all the way down the hall. The door opened with barely a creak as she dragged her feet across the floor, seeking the comfort of her bed.

She sunk onto the mattress with a groan. After fluffing up the pillows, she lay down turned on her side. Looking at the empty space on the large, spacious bed served only as a painful reminder of just exactly why she was awake at half past one in the morning.

Ginny sighed again. She remembered that Hermione had once told her, "Whenever you sigh, an angel in heaven dies." _Well, _Ginny thought grimly, _I wonder how many thousands I've murdered by now._

She attempted to get some shuteye and avoid thinking and remembering about what had happened, sleep was as elusive as ever, and the thoughts plagued her mind even as she fell into a fitful slumber.

* * *

_It was a normal weekend. The weather had been absolutely perfect – it was cooling, yet not overcast. The sun shone brightly overhead, but its rays were not scorching._

_ Harry had promised to bring Albus and Severus flying that day after breakfast was over. As excitement flooded their tiny bodies, they inhaled their breakfast and stood up, scraping their chairs behind them, about to grab their brooms in preparation for a flying session with 'the god on the broom', as dubbed so very accurately by James and Albus._

_ "Not," began Ginny warningly, "so fast, boys. What's the rule when we're all at the table eating together?"_

_ "Only leave the table when everyone is finished and ready to leave," mumbled the pair of them._

_ "Exactly. Now, does this," she then gestured to the table, home to used plates and cutlery, with half-finished scrambled eggs on them, "or this," this time, she pointed to Harry, who sat there eating slowly, "look like everything is settled here?"_

_ "No, mum," chorused the two of them, and they quietly but speedily took their seats again._

_ A good ten minutes later, Harry put down his fork and knife. "I'm don-", he began, but the boys had already taken to their heels. Harry could hear them sprinting up the stairs._

_Sensing that Ginny was once again about to yell at her sons, Harry was quick to take action. "Now there Gin, do let them go, even if it's just this one time. For Merlin's sake, one's only four and the other is three! They're hardly going to behave like dignified ten year olds." He said the last line as though the mere idea of a Potter being dignified repulsed him, shivering slightly for the effect. "Besides," he added, "you're acting like your mum." He grinned._

_After that last comment, Ginny huffed and turned away from Harry, mumbling, "What have I done to deserve such an idiotic husband like you?"_

_Harry caught that and retorted, "I may be an idiotic husband, but at least, I'm your idiotic husband, right?" _

_Ginny rolled her eyes, but a smile was tugging at her lips. She summoned that morning's issue of the Daily Prophet, rolled it up and whacked Harry on the head._

_This caused Harry to grin even more widely, displaying all his pearly whites. "I haven't read that yet! Don't you dare ruin it!" he exclaimed in mock annoyance, but his sparkling green eyes told another story._

"_You are-" Ginny's reply was cut off by the appearance of a falcon patronus. Recognising it as one belonging to one of his subordinates, he held up his hand to Ginny and waited to hear the message that the patronus had been summoned to send._

_There was actually no need for Harry to put up his hand, for Ginny was waiting to hear the message just as Harry was._

_"Sir," came the voice from the patronus, "there has been a death eater attack at St. Petersburg! Wolf went down to investigate before us, he said it's a large crowd down there and we require your assistance as soon as possible! The rest of the team that's on duty today are heading down as of the moment I sent this message."_

_ Harry's expression changed rapidly. He now stood worriedly, brows furrowed and arms crossed over his chest. He transfigured his clothing into something more suitable, whipped out his wand and cast a non-verbal patronus to pass his message on to his team. _

_ As he was getting ready to leave the house, he realised two very shocked and scared boys stood at the entrance to the dining hall._

_ "Dad…Dad, what's happening?" asked James, his voice slightly shaky although he tried valiantly to mask his fear. "What's going on?"_

_ "James, Albus," Harry knelt down in front of them so as to be able to look them in the eye, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to fly with you guys some other time, okay buds? I have to report to work, there's… there's something really urgent and important going on right now and I need to be there."_

_ "So… So," James' voice was definitely quivering now, "Aren't we important to you too, Dad? Can't you just spend a little time flying with us? Please, Dad, I promise. Just five minutes, and if you leave then, I won't say anything about it, and I promise I won't bother you about it afterwards as well. Please, Dad." Tears were prickling at the corner of James' eyes, and Albus' as well._

_ With a jolt, Harry realised how much this was affecting his two beloved sons, and he had to set the record straight right now. _

_ "Hey," he began softly, using his thumb and index finger of both hands to lift both James' and Albus' faces so that their eyes met, "where'd you go making assumptions like that? You'll never be unimportant, never, you hear me? I love you guys so much that whenever we're apart, even if it's just for a few minutes, it hurts physically. My job will be to protect you first and foremost. Hey hey hey," he said, for James' brilliant brown eyes had begun to drift from his own., "Look at me. But I have to go, if I don't countless innocent people could lose their lives! Would you want that? Children could lose their parents, and vice versa. That's why I have to go okay? We'll have loads of flying when we get back!"_

_ The tears had stopped flowing and Albus asked softly, "Promise?"_

_ "Promise," replied Harry firmly, for he fully intended to keep his word._

_ Harry got to his feet and hugged Ginny tightly, murmuring in her ear, "Take care of them, Gin, I love them, and I love you too. So very much."_

_ "I will," came the reply in his ear, "Promise me you'll stay alive and that you'll come back soon."_

_ "I'll try," said Harry as he walked to the door._

_ "Hey dad," said James, stopping his father in his footsteps. "I want to learn how to do a…a Wongsi Paint," valiantly trying to get his pronunciation right._

_ Harry chuckled before correcting James on his pronunciation of the famous Quidditch seeker move. "See you soon!"_

_ His family waved goodbye as Harry walked out of the door and apparated away._

* * *

**A/N: Please ****review****! The more the reviews, the faster I will update! If you have any suggestions for improvement, do let me know. Thanks for reading! Have a magical day!**

_**Written for SnarkyAndProudHufflepuff's 'Ginny Weasley Appreciation Challenge'**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All rights go to J.K Rowling and Warner Bros**©. **On with the story then!**

_**Previously on **__**One Day, Things Will Be Better:**_

_ "Hey dad," said James, stopping his father in his footsteps. "I want to learn how to do a…a Wongsi Paint." _

_ Harry chuckled before correcting James on his pronunciation of the famous Quidditch seeker move. "See you soon!"_

_His family waved goodbye as Harry walked out of the door and apparated away. _

Ginny awoke with a start and ran a hand through her hair, a habit she had unconsciously picked up from her husband. She sighed – she seemed to be doing that a lot lately, she noticed wryly. She turned over and snuck a glance at the clock sitting on her bedside table – half past six in the morning. Once more, she rolled over and closed her eyes, trying to get back to sleep. _Trying being the key word here._ After roughly five minutes of futile effort, Ginny swept the covers off her and swung her legs over the edge of her bed in one fluid, continuous motion. She gathered her clothes for the day from her closet and shuffled to the bathroom.

Ginny exited her bedroom a short while later with her bed unmade, knowing that Ellie would settle it for her in a moment. Really, she mused, I'm getting far too lazy for my own good_. _As she made her was down the hall, she stopped by James' room to check up on him. She opened the door a crack and peered into the room, her soft brown eyes finding James sprawled out on the bed, all sense of dignity forgotten, one arm dangling over the edge of his bed and his covers in an untidy heap on the floor. A ghost of a smile flickered across Ginny's face as she faintly registered the resemblance between father and son. How many mornings had she woken up to Harry being in that exact same position?

Ginny was shaken out of her thoughts by a slightly muffled shout. As her 'mother hen instincts', as Harry had so dubbed it, came into play, she swiftly made her way to the room opposite James' – Albus' room. She wasn't entirely sure that Albus' room was the source of the shouting, but Ginny figured that she might as well check up on Albus now, since it had been her intention to do so anyway. Opening the door, her earlier uncertainty was confirmed as she was met with the sight of a tossing and sweaty boy, tears streaming in rivulets down past his cheeks and wetting the pillows. Now that she was in the room, the occasional shouting was far louder and clearer, but it still sounded a little muffled, as though she was listening to something through a poorly cast muffliato charm… Wait, that was just it! As comprehension dawned upon her that it was merely a bout of accidental magic on Albus' part, Ginny cast a silent _finite incantatem _and then winced as the shouts became louder – very much louder. _Oh well, _said Ginny inwardly, _at least I know I can cast a simple counter-spell non-verbally. Merlin knows that Harry is so much more adept at spell work than I am._ Ginny Potter was well-known as a women of a great many talents, but unfortunately, non-verbal casting was not one of them.

Another shout from Albus jolted Ginny into action. She moved quickly to his bedside and shook his shoulder gently, but firmly, in an effort to rouse Albus from his nightmare. It soon became apparent, however, that it did not work, for Albus was still tossing and turning violently, tangled up in his sheets. "Albus," said Ginny softly, but that too failed to awaken him from his fitful slumber. Ginny then resorted to placing both her hands on Albus' shoulders and shaking them more firmly and roughly, while saying his name over and over again.

Ginny was glad to see that her efforts were successful as Albus bolted upright on his bed. His eyes darted around nervously and fearfully around the room, as though he was expecting them to be attacked at any moment. His breaths were coming in ragged, panicky breaths as a droplet of sweat slowly trickled past his brow. All the while, Ginny had kept a calm and firm hand on her son's shoulder. Now, Albus turned towards Ginny and stared at her blearily for a couple of moments before he found himself capable of speech. "Mu…Mum? Is that you, Mum?"

"Hey Al, I see you're awake at last. Yes, it's me, dear, there's no need to be frightened now okay? I'm right here. Everything's okay; everything's going to be just fine," whispered Ginny, her voice laced with care and concern, the epitome of comfort, which was exactly what Albus needed at that moment.

Without warning, Albus flung himself into Ginny's arms and she embraced him readily, allowing him to cry freely into her shoulder without regard for the state of her clothes. With one arm Ginny held Albus in a tight embrace, and with the other, she rubbed slow, comforting circles on his back, hoping to calm his erratic breathing and heaving shoulders. She whispered words of comfort into Albus' ear, accompanied by the occasional hushing sounds and gentle running of her soft fingers through his sweaty locks.

It had taken quite a while to get Albus to calm down, but when he did, he pulled away reluctantly from his mother's embrace. Albus rubbed his cheeks where the torrents of tears had left their mark. Still sniffling slightly, he finally spoke. "Mum, where's daddy?" Here, he paused ever so slightly, fidgeting a bit, his hands twisting themselves in his lap as he continued on. "Why's he taking so long? Where is he, mummy? Is he… Is he coming home soon?" The tears threatened to spill again as he finished, sniffling harder than before but resolutely keeping the tears at bay.

Ginny looked at her son and could practically feel her heart shatter as he posed that question. She climbed onto her son's bed and sat there, cross-legged. She let herself run away with her thoughts for a couple of moments before running her fingers through her hair. "Of course daddy's going to come home soon, Al. He's probably been held up somewhere along the way that's all. He's a strong man, your father. He'll be okay. There's no need to worry, there's no need to cry. Daddy will be home soon enough, you'll see."

Ginny found herself speaking words that even she herself had trouble believing. _Was he really coming home soon?_ Ginny sighed internally. _His missions have never usually taken this long… I do hope he's fine… _

"It's still early Al, why don't you try to go back to sleep for a little while longer? I'll wake you up when breakfast's ready, how's that?"

Albus nodded and lay down on his bed, Ginny tucking him under the covers and running a hand through his hair comfortingly before heading to the kitchen downstairs.

In the kitchen, Ginny was left alone with her thoughts, alone with the gaping hole left by Harry's absence.

"Please Harry, stay safe…" She felt tears well up in her eyes and blinked furiously, willing them not to fall. She had to be strong. For James, for Albus. _For Harry._

_Harry stared at the Death Eaters that surrounded them, panting heavily and his chest on fire. His legs seemed to be on the verge of giving way at any moment. He groaned mentally and swallowed hard, as he realised how badly out-numbered they were. The odds were clearly stacked against them but his team was fighting their hardest. Harry cracked a small smile of pride in spite of the circumstances; he would definitely treat them to a good meal or something when they got back. If they got back, came the annoying voice at the back of his mind._

_To his left, Harry saw Amber, one of the aurors under him, battling desperately, colorful streaks colliding with each other and dissipating, shouting incantations and ducking and rolling almost simultaneously. He raised his wand, a spell on the tip of his lips, but he was forced to duck out of the way when a death eater lunged out at him out of the blue, sporadically shooting out curses. His timely reaction saved him from certain grievous injury. Standing up again, he prepared his battle stance. They're as desperate as we are, he noted grimly. They think they're going to lose._

_Ginny was chewing her lip, a nervous habit which she'd picked up somewhere along the way from her husband. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she leaned back against the headboard. I don't know what I'd do without you… Heck, I don't even think I can live without you, Harry. But somehow, somewhere, there's this thought, there's this something that just says you won't come back. Why do I feel this way, Harry? You've been away loads of times, and you've always made it back. Please… You'll come back, right? She thought to herself._

_The death eater stopped throwing curses left right and center as soon as he noticed Harry. The man's – assuming that it was a man – mask seemed to glow with an ominous light in the semi-darkness. He took aim and shot a killing curse straight at Harry, who dove sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding the streak of green._

_"Don't kill him you fool!" shouted another death eater furiously. "Remember, we need Potter alive!"_

_"Like hell you do," snarled Harry, picking himself up._

_The battle raged on, as the two of them fired spells at each other. Harry knew that he had to end it soon – he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. He took a quick glance at his team and saw that they, too, were barely hanging in there._

_Too preoccupied with his thoughts, Harry just barely noticed a spell headed straight for him. His eyes widened and he jumped out of the way in the nick of time._

_He landed clumsily, a sharp pain radiating from his ankle. Harry figured it was a sprain but hadn't the time to take a closer look._

_A second of delay was all it took – a death eater fired a curse straight at Harry._

* * *

Ginny's thoughts were miles away from anything that had to do with making breakfast, even as she made it. She was still biting her lip, but the slight discomfort it caused was nothing when compared to the emotional pain and worry she wished to expel. Harry could be _anywhere_. _Anything _could have happened. Ginny didn't like _'anything,' _or, at least, her unconscious mind didn't. In her mind, '_anything'_ was quickly becoming '_everything'_ which fell to _'the worst thing possible.'_

Taking a deep breath, her hands refraining from making breakfast, she whispered a quiet plea.)

"Please,"

_Harry noticed the spell a second too late._

"Be safe."

_It flew at him; he tried and failed to urge his body into action._

"I-"

_He tried to block it, but it went straight through the hastily and poorly cast shield._

"Love-"

_Harry had one moment to think, 'I'm sorry, Ginny."_

"You."

_Then it struck him, and everything faded to black._

Miles away, Ginny Potter let out a sob, as if she already knew the fate of her husband, and the life-changing events that had been set in motion only seconds prior.

**A/N: That's the second chapter! Thanks to RegulusBlackIsAHero for the awesome beta-work! Remember to review please, and make my day/week/month/year/life. Thank you!**

**EDIT: I just made some changes, added in stuff and took away some. What do you guys think?(01/06/2013)**

**__****Written for SnarkyAndProudHufflepuff's 'Ginny Weasley Appreciation Challenge'**


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